Maíandir
Maíandir, the central continent on the smaller western landmass of the planet, is the cradle of most life on Ygdren. Whether that life came to it by sea or was born on the continent itself, it is here that the bulk of civilisation now exists, with cultures of all sorts co-existing in the diverse habitats that the land has to offer. History Core Maíandir When sentient life first came to the central regions of Maíandir, it began in the rolling hills and valleys at the very heartland of the continent, the Argent Basin. This land was cold and barren, encased on all sides by mountainous walls of ice that trapped the first races in the lower valleys of the surrounding mountains. Recordings of this early history are limited, but evidence suggests it was the elves that first began settling their homes in the frigid wastelands. These early societies began to grow exponentially with the warming temperature and the growing density of fauna. The great glaciers that covered most of the foothills of the Mogul Caí and the Sentinels gradually receded, giving way to rivers and valuable farmland. As the ice melted, life flourished. Aarakocra tribes began to roost in the eastern cliffs by the sea, dwarves and gnomes made their life in the mountains, and firbolgs emerged from their long hibernation in the vast silverpine forests of the north. These races coexisted in relative peace for some time, until another, far older race that had grown in secret in the mountains of the world descended into the forests and grasslands where the elves ruled unchecked. Led by powerful, twisted remnants of the older magics of the world and seemingly countless in number, these so-called dreadborn clashed with the ragtag coalition of races that would in time become the Northern Alliance, starting a decades-long conflict that would claim countless lives. Little detail is known of this time, and much has been forgotten by most folk, but the fighting did not last forever, and eventually the dreadborn were banished from this realm of existence. Much would change over the following centuries. Out of the ashes of several civil wars, the Elven Empire was formed, ranging across almost half of the entire continent. The other races of the alliance either cooperated, or were made to cooperate, and the land settled into a relative peace, where trade flourished and poverty was all but eradicated. This golden age was broken unexpectedly by the sudden arrival of invaders from the east. Finding an unsuspecting realm that hadn't seen real war in decades, a combination of humans, dragonborn and tieflings swept through the lowlands of the Marble Vale, splitting the empire in two before they were stopped, and claiming the land for themselves. Ever greedy, they pushed north, but were stopped in the mountain passes of the Sentinels by the combined efforts of the reformed Northern Alliance. There would be many attempted invasions north over the time that followed, but none as large as the first, and none succeeded. Despite their victories, the elves and their allies resent the lands they lost greatly, and tensions between the Alliance and the human kingdoms that these invading tribes would form have never truly settled. Locked in from all sides, the tribes set down roots in their new lands, and gradually formed into five distinct regions. The largest of these, Axia, is nowadays attributed as the birthplace of the Church of the Vigil, the religious order that would eventually take over control of political power in the region. The prophet, about whom very little is understood, appeared out of nowhere, preached for three years, and disappeared just as mysteriously as he had come. The religion spread like wildfire, and the prophet's mantle was taken up by his disciples, who would become the first vigilants. At the time, the Axios were led by a council of elders, but they would eventually be replaced through a military coup by a powerful Axios general, who slaughtered the council and seized power. Not content with his newfound power, this general riled up the other kingdoms and led another invasion north, breaking a longstanding truce. However, the Northern Alliance would not be taken by surprise a second time, and the invasion was swiftly repulsed. Enraged by his humiliating failure, the tyrant general retreated to his lands, and imposed harsh laws and taxes on the people. Unhappy under the oppressive rule, the common people began to band behind the Vigil, who had been infiltrating positions of power in all facets of the kingdom for decades. Seeing the tide turn in their favour, the High Vigilant and the people at his back took control of Axia, executing the tyrant and his loyalists for treason and establishing a new law governed by the principles of their faith. Believing it was his duty to spread the one true religion to all, the High Vigilant formed his people into a mighty war machine, and marched on the surrounding kingdoms in the Marble Vale. One by one, Elvirea, Adrea, Elios and Thyr all fell to the Protectorate, who promptly turned their attentions north once again. This latest border war, the bloodiest in a while, lasted several years, and finally ended with a tenuous peace treaty written very recently, a fact that many people on either side are not happy about. Unable to press their agenda northward, the Vigil turned instead to the desert dunes to the southwest. This region had once belonged to the Elven Empire, and was populated by a race of dark-skinned elves known as the Mordael. They had become separated from the remainder of the Empire during the human invasion, and now found themselves locked in bitter guerrilla warfare against Vigil forces in the blistering sands of the Blood Dunes.__FORCETOC__ Category:Geography Category:Continents Category:History